immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˌ)i(m)-ˈmō-bəl 

-ˌbī(-ə)l,

 also  -ˌbēl

1

: not moving : motionless

keep the patient immobile

2

: incapable of being moved : fixed

immobility

ˌi-(ˌ)mō-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• nonmoving
• standing
• static
• stationary

Examples of immobile in a Sentence

The tranquilizer made the animal immobile.

The accident left her immobile.

Recent Examples on the Web

Photos from the scene showed snow pounding down as cars sat immobile in the center of the highway. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025

One clip showed a large group of people gathered in the snow below a section of the ski lifts, which were immobile. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025

Another 59-year-old man had lived with unrelenting pain for years and was largely immobile, needing both hips and knees replaced. —Tim Botos, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025

The resulting spinal fusion increasingly renders one immobile and, in extreme cases, a person can lose their ability to walk. —Meghan Howes, The Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English in-mobill, from Latin immobilis, from in- + mobilis mobile

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for immobile

• ennoble
• ignoble
• coble
• dobell
• global
• lobel
• noble
• sobol

Kids Definition

immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)ō-bəl 

-ˌbēl,

-ˌbīl

: unable to move or be moved

immobility

ˌim-(ˌ)ō-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)ō-bəl  -ˌbēl  -ˌbīl 

1

: incapable of being moved

2

: not moving

keep the patient immobile

immobility

ˌim-(ˌ)ō-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

plural immobilities